That morning, the atmosphere at the Antrows City Adventurers' Guild seemed as normal as usual. The air was filled with the scent of sweat and the clanking of armor from adventurers busy sorting through missions.
Party Noiver stepped inside. They, too, intended to carry out a mission at the guild.
Their goal today was to take on a hunting quest to raise their adventurer rank. However, the moment Keyzier saw the bulletin board and found a goblin extermination mission in Yavo Forest, his usually calm face suddenly changed.
His memories were forcibly pulled back to the past. He remembered the cold night air and the stifled screams from when he and Donovan nearly lost their lives due to a cunning attack by those small green creatures in the Death Forest.
The wound in his heart, which had not yet fully healed, throbbed once more.
"Goblins, huh? Just you wait... I will wipe every last one of you out until nothing remains!"
Those words were followed by Keyzier's low laughter, which gradually grew louder, piercing the silence of the guild. Unconsciously, Keyzier lost control of his emotions. From the body of the grayish white-haired youth, an incredibly dense and heavy Killing Intent exploded outward.
The air inside the guild hall seemed to freeze. The atmosphere became so stifling that even veteran and powerful adventurers felt their lungs constrict, struggling to breathe. Several novice adventurers collapsed instantly, fainting because their hearts could not withstand the sheer mental pressure.
Novalia trembled violently, her legs going weak as she felt the terrifying aura emanating from the person she liked. Hana, the receptionist, stood frozen in her place, her face deathly pale.
SMACK!
Donovan, the only one still able to move normally because he was accustomed to Keyzier's aura, swung his heavy sword scabbard against his best friend's head.
"YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT...!!"
"OWWW...!!!" Keyzier groaned, clutching his head while crouching down. "What was that for, Novan? Why did you hit me?!"
"Look at the mess you've made, you fool!" Donovan scolded, pointing around. "You're the one who said not to stand out, yet you just made half the guild pass out! You moron!"
Keyzier snapped out of it and looked around. He saw people gasping for air and tables trembling. Realizing his mistake, he bowed in apology repeatedly with a flushed face, then hurriedly dragged Donovan and Novalia out of the guild to carry out their mission (even without official confirmation from Hana).
However, the damage was done. The entire guild was in an uproar. Hana and the remaining adventurers now realized one absolute fact: Party Noiver was no ordinary group of rookies. Behind their cheerful nature and innocent faces, a monstrous power lay hidden.
Even the Branch Head of the Antrows Guild, watching from the upper floor, could only stare at their retreating backs with a wary and mysterious gaze.
During the journey to Yavo Forest, Donovan did not stop grumbling. "You really made us the center of attention, Key. Now everyone knows everything."
Keyzier could only hang his head dejectedly. "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to. The memories of that incident... I just lost control."
Novalia, listening to their conversation, remained silent. She finally realized that a dark trauma bound her two companions together. She decided not to ask further and only looked at them with empathetic eyes.
Donovan finally let out a long sigh and patted Keyzier's shoulder. "Forget it, what's done is done. Let's just focus on this mission."
They entered the lush Yavo Forest. The deeper they ventured, the quieter the surroundings became. Keyzier's sharp instincts soon caught the foul stench characteristic of goblins. However, they didn't find a small pack as reported. Instead, they reached a hidden valley containing an ancient stone building surrounded by a high wooden fence.
"It looks like this is their main nest! Look, there are hundreds of them!" Keyzier whispered from behind a bush. "There might even be a Goblin King inside."
Hearing that, Novalia was shocked. "A Goblin King? Isn't that a Rank AA or maybe even a Rank S monster? Key, this is way beyond our mission scope! We have to report back to the guild!"
Keyzier stared at the building with cold eyes. "Report back and let them attack another village? No. It's better if we destroy them now!"
"He's right, Nova," Donovan added, stretching his arms. "Better we settle this here. Besides, he needs to vent his anger now before he explodes back in the city again."
Novalia finally agreed to join the extermination.
Once their plan was set, Keyzier used his high-level Stealth skill. His body seemed to fade and merge with the shadows, making him invisible as he slipped inside the fence. Donovan took his position on the western side, while Novalia prepared on the eastern side with her magic staff in hand.
However, they underestimated the intelligence of a King-class monster. Inside the main building, the Goblin King, possessing sharp instincts, felt a disturbance in the mana flow within his territory. He growled lowly, then let out a commanding roar that shook the forest.
Instantly, every goblin in the nest entered combat mode. Keyzier's stealthy approach was blown.
"Damn, we've been spotted!" Keyzier muttered. He immediately emerged from the shadows and began swinging his weapon, decapitating the nearest goblins one by one with terrifying speed.
Seeing the battle begin, Donovan charged from the west with his greatsword, tearing through the goblin defensive lines like a storm. On the other side, Novalia began casting her support magic.
"Paralyze! Blind!"
Green light from her staff struck the goblin hordes, leaving them stiff and sightless, making it easy for Donovan and Keyzier to slaughter them.
Slowly but surely, the three of them pushed forward until they met at the entrance of the main building. All the goblins outside had been annihilated, leaving behind a gruesome pile of green corpses.
They kicked open the stone building's door and stepped inside. However, what they found within left them stunned. They didn't find chaos; instead, they found a highly organized elite line-up.
At the far end of the room sat a massive Goblin King in heavy iron armor, perched upon his throne. To his left and right, two Goblin Shamans held magic staves. Directly in front of the throne, six Goblin Generals in full plate armor unsheathed their longswords.
Not only that, around the room, forty Goblin Warriors surrounded every possible exit.
Party Noiver was now truly cornered. They stood in the middle of a siege by elite goblin forces ready to tear them apart. The room was filled with a thick aura of hostility, far more dangerous than the horde they had fought outside.
"Looks like we just walked into the lion's den for real," Donovan whispered, tightening his grip on his sword.
Keyzier only smirked, his eyes flashing with vengeance. "Good! This way, I don't have to bother looking for them one by one."